Euro 2016: Poland’s glory days here again?

Poland was once one of Europe’s most successful international sides. In a ten year spell the Poles finished third at two World Cups and collected an Olympic gold medal – it proved to be a high watermark. Since 1982 their fortunes have declined dramatically. In recent times, Poland missed out on reaching the World Cups in Brazil and South Africa, and crashed out of the 2012 European Championships at the group stage. That decline might be about to come to a sudden halt.

The Poles have been one of the most impressive ‘smaller’ sides at the Euros so far. The White Eagles dominated a resilient Northern Ireland, albeit beating them by just the one goal. They then held the Germans to a goalless draw, in a game which proved to be an even contest – neither side deserved three points. And then in the final game of the group, their progression already confirmed, Poland picked up a win against Ukraine. Their manager, Adam Nawalka, even came in for some criticism for not pressing for more goals, which might have guaranteed them a first place finish. However, their lack of prowess in front of goal seems to have worked in their favour.

While the first-place Germans have ended up in the same half of the knockout bracket as England, France, Italy and Spain, Poland’s main challenges for a place in the final are Croatia, Belgium, Wales and Portugal, all of whom the Poles would have a decent chance against. In the last 16 they found themselves up against a pragmatic Switzerland.

Poland controlled the first-half and should of snatched a lead within a couple of minutes; Arkadiusz Milik missing a simple open goal after a committed Yan Sommer had come racing out to block Robert Lewandowski. Their partnership hasn’t quite clicked yet; the Bayern striker has been crowded out of games and Milik has missed some glorious chances. Despite this, they still look on the pace and are being nuisances, even if the goals aren’t coming. The attention that has been paid to Lewandowski has had a positive effect for the other attackers, diverting attention and thus opening up space which might otherwise be closed to them. His presence has that effect on defences. Poland are more than just Lewandowski and co.

Jacob Blaszczykowski gave Poland the lead against the Swiss. He got on the ball on the edge of the box, took one touch to settle, and then put it through the legs of Sommer – a cool finish from the Dortmund winger. Grzegorz Krychowiak has also been one of the stand out players of the tournament. The Sevilla – or soon-to-be PSG – midfielder was excellent cutting out opposition attacks, reading the game and intercepting the ball, and picking out brilliant passes. He controlled the game. But, for all of Poland’s attacking talents, it’s worth remembering that they’ve conceded just one goal so far.

Michal Pazdan and Kamil Glik, who looks to be on the verge of a £12 million move to Monaco from Torino, have formed a reliable partnership at centre-back. With Lukasz Piszczek on their right and Krychowiak offering cover in front, the Polish defence is a formidable challenge for opponents. The invisible Haris Seferovic can attest to that. Fabian Schar had Switzerland’s best chance in the first-half, a close-range header after a cross into the box, but Lukasz Fabianski proved more than capable of meeting the challenge.

In the second-half Switzerland had a little more of the ball – not that they’d set the bar high – but laboured to break through the tough Polish defence. The Poles then fell a little flat. Fabianski pulled off a magnificent, one-handed diving save to deny Ricardo Rodriguez, whose driven free-kick was aimed perfectly at the top-right corner. The Swiss piled on the pressure. With a shot as quick as lightning, Seferovic pummelled the crossbar; an effort that reflected the increasing frustration in the Swiss team. It was then that Shaqiri struck. The diminutive winger, who’d shown the odd flash of brilliance, produced a moment of ingenuity; an over-head kick from the edge of the box, his small red frame leaping and twisting to catapult the ball past the outstretched hands of the Swansea ‘keeper. Suddenly, Switzerland were in the ascendancy; the Poles needed an injection of steel and determination. The game needed extra-time.

Neither team wanted to make a mistake in extra-time, both seemingly happy to let the Russian roulette that is penalties decide the victor. On this occasion, luck favoured Poland. Granit Xhaka scooped his spot-kick high into the stadium, and Krychowiak, as cool and collected as ever, stroked the ball home to book Poland a spot in the quarter-finals. They could meet Croatia or Portugal and, at the moment, I wouldn’t necessarily bet against them.

Croatia and World Cup ’98

The retreating Spanish defence found Ivan Perisic bearing down on them. Nikola Kalinic spearheaded the counter-attack and, glancing over his shoulder as he raced up through the centre, noticed the speeding Inter Milan winger bursting past his left side. With Sergio Ramos and Gerard Pique the obstacles in their path, Kalinic waited until the Real Madrid centre-back pulled back, before slipping a through ball ahead of Perisic, who kept running at full pace and released his shot as Pique went in for a sliding tackle. Perisic, though, had struck. He watched on as the ball crept under the right hand of David de Gea and nestled in the back of the net. Croatia had completed a memorable win.

The three points meant Croatia topped their group and secured a place in the easier half of the knockout bracket – no Germans, or French, or Italians, or Spanish, or English for them. Portugal are to be their opponents in the last 16. This evening, Croatian fans, once again, find themselves filing into the Stade Bollaert Delelis in Lens. It was there that they kicked-off their greatest ever tournament.

That team, 18 years before, had almost not reached the ’98 World Cup in France. A 4-1 besting of Bosnia and Herzegovina in their opening qualification game was followed with three successive draws, leaving them on six points at the half-way mark. Greece had beaten Slovenia 2-0 and Bosnia and Herzegovina 3-0, before a 1-1 draw against the Croats left them on seven points. With one game to go, the Greeks had a one point advantage. However, while Croatia would be paying a visit to the group whipping boys, Slovenia, who had collected just one point, Greece would be hosting Denmark, who, with the Laudrup brothers in top form, had dominated the group. Croatia struck early, Davor Suker scoring in eleven minutes. Zvonimir Soldo and Alen Boksic then secured the three points, as the Croats claimed an important 3-1 win. Meanwhile, in Athens, Greece were desperately pushing for a goal. Peter Schmeichel, though, was in imperious form. The Greeks couldn’t beat the Danish ‘keeper and thus fell short. Croatia, not Greece, would be going to France. There they’d meet Argentina, Japan and Jamaica.

Thousands of Croats descended upon Lens for their first ever World Cup match, where they’d be facing another competition debutant: Jamaica. 27 minutes in and Croatia celebrated their first World Cup goal. A ferocious shot cannoned off the crossbar and landed at the feet of Mario Stanic. The Parma midfielder pounced on the chance and poked the ball over the line. Jamaica responded just before half-time, Robbie Earle’s header beating Drazen Ladic. The Croats had had three shots bounce off the woodwork, as they pressed for a second. The slick passing and movement of Suker, Boban and Jarni ripped through the Jamaican defence. And it was another member of that famous 1987 FIFA Youth World Cup winning Yugoslavian side who put Croatia back ahead. Robert Prosinecki, then back at Dinamo Zagreb, who’d he left in the summer of ’87 to sign for the dominant Red Star Belgrade, put in a cross, which, refusing to drift back inside, caught the Jamaican goalkeeper off his line and nested in the bottom corner of the net. In the 69^th minute Suker secured all three points. The Real Madrid striker was at the height of his powers, having just celebrated winning the Champions League, a trophy Los Blancos had waited 32 years for. Boban put a delicious through ball ahead of Stanic, who then whipped a cross over to the far side of the box. Suker trapped the ball, settled, and then rifled a left-footed effort which took a deflection off Ricardo Gardner and caught a committed Warren Barrett out. It was a comfortable performance from the Croats. Boban excelled in his preferred attacking midfield role, picking out pass after pass. Next up for Croatia was Japan.

Japan had proved to be a tight and organised outfit against Argentina; a single Gabriel Batistuta strike separated the sides. Croatia had chances but proved wasteful. But Japan were far from just a defensive side. Hidetoshi Nakata’s excellent cross put Masashi Nakayama through one-on-one with Ladic. The Dinamo Zagreb veteran – he spent 14 years in the Croatian capital – held firm, though, and blocked the Japanese striker’s shot. Suker often looked isolated in the first half. But that never stopped him. He had one moment of genius that didn’t quite come off; with one touch he lifted the ball over a Japanese defender, and then charged at the box, before lifting a delightful chip over Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi, the ball just bouncing off the crossbar and out. His patience paid off in the 77^th minute. Aljosa Asanovic clipped a cross into the box, and, just like his strike against Jamaica, Suker took one touch before lashing the ball with his devastating left-foot. The ball crept under Kawaguchi, guaranteeing a place in the next round for the debutants.

Thus, the final match of the group was nothing but a matter of pride. Argentina, one of the tournament favourites, had dispatched both Jamaica and Japan as well, sending them through to the last 16, where they’d meet England in that infamous tie. And it would be the Argentinians who progressed with all nine points. The dark blue shirts of Argentina opened up the cracks in the Croatian defence, and Batistuta’s chipped pass put Mauricio Pineda in acres of space. The defender chested the ball and then fired it to the left of the onrushing Ladic.

Three rounds separated Croatia from Saint Denis and the World Cup final. In the Last 16 they’d meet a Romanian side who’d topped their group, beating Colombia, Tunisia and England on route to collecting all nine points, featuring an ageing, but still effective, Gheorghe Hagi, and Dan Petrescu. It proved to be a tight affair. The over-achieving Romanians, who’d all dyed their hair blond, gave as good as they got. It took another moment of Suker genius to split the sides. As the slick Croatians passed their way towards the Romanian box, Suker feigned, letting the ball run through to Aljosa Asanovic, who turned but was dragged down by Gabriel Popescu. On the edge of half-time, Suker fired a tame strike into the bottom right corner. However, as he started to run off celebrating, Argentinian referee Javier Castrilli called for it to be retaken, as some of the Croats had encroached. Suker stepped up, again, and put the ball in the bottom right corner, again – his 33^rd goal in 40 appearances for his national team. It was enough to book them a quarter final tie with Germany in the next round.

In truth, they were meeting a strong German team, but one in decline. It included veterans like Jurgen Klinsmann and Lothar Matthaus, who reached 2000 minutes at World Cup finals during the clash; legends reaching the end of their international careers. The Germans were arguably the better side until the 40^th minute: Ladic had to produce an excellent reactionary stop a powerful header, and found himself tested by the long-range efforts of Thomas Hassler. But as half-time approached, Suker led a counter-attack. The Croat striker cut inside and pushed the ball past Christian Worms, who kicked out too late. The German defender raised his hands in protestation, before putting them on his head in shock as he watched the referee pull out a red card. It was a professional foul, a definite booking. Not a red. Suddenly, it was all Croatia. The Vatreni (the Blazers) then nicked a goal in the third minute of time added on. Mario Stanic, the right wing-back, ran up the flank and cut inside, before putting a sideways pass out to Robert Jarni. The left wing-back, another veteran of that 1987 FIFA Youth World Cup winning side, fired a first-time thunderous shot though the crowded box, past the fingertips of Andreas Kopke, and into the bottom corner.

The Germans had been down twice already in the tournament and had come back to win both of those games. It wasn’t to be a third. Oliver Bierhoff should’ve equalised. The soon-to-be Milan striker rifled a volley from inside the six-yard box, but Ladic, somehow, managed to push the ball down and then scramble it away. It was Germany’s best chance of getting back into the game, a chance Bierhoff needed to capitalise on. With just ten minutes remaining, and the jubilant Croatian fans relishing the prospect of facing France in the semi-finals, red flares lighting them up in the Stade de Gerland, Goran Vlaovic secured their progression. He took advantage of the man advantage, finding himself in space and unchallenged, firing a driven right-footed shot around the twisted legs of Jurgen Kohler and past Kopke. Then, in the 85^th minute, Suker completed a famous victory. A quick cross threatened to run out for a goal-kick, but Suker took one touch to send it past one defender, pulled it back from the line with a second, cut inside to move past another white shirt, and then smashed the ball underneath the German goalkeeper. An amazing goal; Croatia’s third; his fourth. Croatia would be meeting France.

The hosts had squeezed past Italy in the last round, defeating them on penalties after a goalless draw in Saint Denis, where they’d meet Croatia in the semi-final. 76,000 watched on as Zinedine Zidane, Emmanuel Petit, Didier Deschamps, and that brilliant backline of Lilian Thuram, Laurent Blanc, Marcel Desailly and Bixente Lizarazu came up against this Croatian side. At half-time, it had been a game of half-chances; neither could create a decent opportunity. All of that changed in the final 45 minutes.

Just a couple of minutes after the restart, Suker struck again. The brilliant Asanovic nipped past a couple of blue shirts before slipping an excellent dipping cross up the pitch to the unmarked Madrid striker. Suker found himself bearing down on Fabian Barthez one-on-one. He let the ball bounce once and then slipped it through the legs of the onrushing French goalkeeper. One corner of the stadium cheered and bounced; most of it fell silent. The replays had barely finished before France struck back. A rampaging Thuram forced Croatia to concede possession on the edge of their box, the ball rolling to Youri Djorkaeff, who took one touch the take the ball to his left, and then used the outside of his right foot to pass it around a committed Igor Stimac. Thuram ran around the back of Stimac and awkwardly passed it past Ladic. France started to bombard the Croatia box in the desperate hunt for a winner. And eventually it came. Thuram came bursting down the right flank and again nicked the ball off a Croat defender. This time, though, he shot first-time. With the instinct of a world-class striker, he lashed the ball into the bottom right corner, not even taking the time to glance up at the Croatian goal. Croatia pressed for an equaliser. Suker played like a man possessed, dancing around challenges, the ball stuck to his foot like a magnet. Laurent Blanc was sent off with ten minutes to go, however, unlike against the Germans, the Croats couldn’t break down the resilient French.

Croatia had exceeded everyone’s expectations, proving themselves to be a force in world football. The likes of Suker, Boban, Prosinecki, Jarni, and Bilic came out of that tournament with their heads held high. It had been a brilliant showing for a nation of under five million people. Croatia didn’t end the tournament on that low, besting a classic Netherlands side 2-1 in the third-place match. That moment proved to be the high-watermark of the Croatia national team.

That was the ‘golden generation’ – a true one, not like England’s so-called – at its best. It was also on the cusp of a steep decline. The players who defined that generation – Boban, Suker, Jarni – were all around the same age, having come through that Yugoslavian youth setup, and all were around 30 at the tournament. Boban retired from the game in 2002, struggling to get match time on loan at Celta Vigo; and Suker and Jarni both left Madrid for Arsenal and Las Palmas respectively.

Croatia haven’t escaped the group stage of a World Cup since. They’ve fared little better at European Champions. The Croats missed out on 2000, were eliminated at the first round of knockouts at 2004 and 2008, and failed to escape their group in 2012. The generation of Suker and Boban feels like a long time ago. Could that change at Euro 2016?

Euro 2016 Talking Points – Round Three

MY 90 MINUTES AS AN ALBANIAN

As an England fan, I’ve been immunised to the feeling of international triumph. We used to enter each tournament on a wave of optimism, a belief that this might be our year, but in recent years we’ve come to accept our mediocrity. Optimism has turned into pessimism. When was the last time we came out of a tournament feeling anything but crushing disappointment? We’re so used to high expectations that anything other than victory, or perhaps a final, feels like failure – it’s those expectations that ruin it for us. It’s impossible to remember a time that a minor success felt like something to be proud of. That’s why I fell in love with Albania.

I held no particular affection for Albania. I recognised them as the nation squished between Greece, Macedonia, Kosovo, and Montenegro, but nothing more. They didn’t really exist as anything but a spot on a map. I couldn’t tell you about their heroes, or their history, or their culture. But that’s why the European Championships – and the World Cup – are so utterly unique and brilliant. We’re brought together through a shared love of football; something that is the same as it is in the packed stands of Old Trafford, as it is in the bitter colds of Bayview, as it is in Brazil or Ghana or Albania. We all love this beautiful game.

Going through this tournament I’ve gotten to share in spectacular moments in the histories of smaller nations like Northern Ireland and Iceland. I’ll remember Michael O’Neill pumping his fist after Niall McGinn confirmed their win over Ukraine, and I’ll never forget the outpouring of emotion after Iceland picked up a point against Portugal. A bitter Cristiano Ronaldo perhaps summed it up: he called them a ‘small nation’, one which wouldn’t achieve anything. What he forgot was that Iceland is a tiny nation, one which has never even reached the tournament before. This single point, a nothing to teams like Portugal and England, will be a cherished memory for the 8% of the Iceland population in France at the moment. I spent these 180 minutes as a short-term Iceland and Northern Ireland supporter. I revelled in their successes.

On Sunday I had the pleasure of witnessing something historic. Albania had never reached a major tournament in their history, and looked to be on the brink of exiting the Euros without a win. They’d been hard done by. Albania had conceded minutes into the match against Switzerland, had then had a man sent off, and had remained the better team, albeit one without a goal. Then, against France, their dogged determination repulsed Les Bleus’ attacks, until a 89^th minute header scuppered their hopes of nicking a point. Albania had nothing to show for two decent performances.

That changed against Romania. Those zeroes became ones. Their first goal and their first win. I’ll never feel the sensation of England breaking ground; I’ll never know what it’s like for my nation to make history. But for those 90 minutes I became an Albanian. I held my head in my heads when Ermir Lenjani missed a glorious chance to open the scoring; I sat nervously when Romania looked like breaking through; and I celebrated when, in the 43^rd minute, Armando Sadiku scored Albania’s first ever goal at a major international tournament.

At the time of writing, we still don’t know if that win will be enough for Albania to qualify for the Last 16. I hope that it does, if just to keep the dream alive for a moment more, but I don’t think it matters quite as much after that.

 

CROATIA PRESS SPAIN INTO SECOND

Spain’s impenetrable armour has been scratched. The aura of invincibility that surrounded Spain had been smashed to smithereens at the 2014 World Cup; broken in 45 minutes as the Netherlands rampaged to a 5-1 demolition of the reigning champions. At the beginning of this tournament, Spain hadn’t even been in the conversation as possible favourites. France and Germany were mentioned, with no thought to the holders. But recent performances reminded everyone why we held them in such high regard.

The resilient Czechs almost held out but fell to a late Gerard Pique header. Then, a few days later, Spain demolished Turkey 3-0, with a stunning performance that highlighted the brilliance of tiki-taka at its best. The Spanish passed with purpose and speed, moving the ball around quicker than the Turkish could react, finding pockets of space, and breaking through their defence time-after-time. Spain looked back to their best.

But nerves and Croatia’s high pressing cost them in their third match. The Croatians pressed the Spanish man-for-man, chasing them down after every pass, giving them as little time on the ball as possible. Turkey had done the opposite. They’d sat back, giving the likes of Cesc Fabregas and David Silva as much time as they wanted to pick out a pass, and they suffered as a result. Croatia refused to let Spain settle, and it yielded results. Although Spain completed over 600 passes, they misplaced six inside their defensive third – they conceded possession four times in their defensive third against the Turks, but all four took place around the corners. Pique and Sergio Ramos found themselves pressed into making mistakes, and, although Spain scored because of Croatia’s high pressing leaving too few players to defend a quick counter-attack, it proved the right strategy overall. The Vatreni also found success on the flanks. Ivan Perisic had a blinder on the left flank, picking out the cross for Nikola Kalinic’s near-post header, before lashing in a thunderous shot in the 87^th minute to complete a memorable win for Croatia.

The result means Croatia will be in the easier half of the knockout bracket. Spain, on the other hand, having finished second, will be in the same half as Germany, France, Italy and England. Only one of the four can reach the final.

 

MICHAEL MCGOVERN, PLEASE STAND UP

Northern Ireland are through to the knockout stages of the European Championships. What an achievement for a team stuck in a group including Poland, Ukraine and the world champions.

In their opening game, a limited and defensive approach – Michael O’Neill included seven defenders – backfired against Poland, as Arkadiusz Milik scored to prove that the Eastern European side are more than just Robert Lewandowski and friends. O’Neill’s team failed to register a single shot on target, seemingly confirming suspicions that they’d bore their way to the next round. Northern Ireland had to change their strategy. With a rampant Germany on the horizon, Ukraine offered their best chance at claiming three points. O’Neill made five changes to the team that lost to Poland and adopted a more progressive approach. Although Ukraine had more possession, the Northern Irish created chances. In the 96^th minute Niall McGinn added to Gareth McAuley’s early header, pouncing on a rebound to secure a crucial three points, guaranteeing Ukraine’s elimination. But a third place finish doesn’t mean automatic progression.

The four best third place teams are going through. With Albania possessing a weaker goal difference, it meant Northern Ireland were, prior to the game against the world champions, second out of the three third place teams – Group B’s Slovakia finished on four points. Northern Ireland didn’t need a win, nor even a draw, but they did need to keep the score as low as possible. It just meant keeping out the Germans. And what a job Michael McGovern did.

Like the Berlin Wall reincarnated (as a goalkeeper), McGovern dived and leapt like a man possessed. The combined German might of Thomas Muller, Mario Gotze and Mario Gomez couldn’t break through this impenetrable shield of green. Even Kilmarnock managed to put four past him. In the opening moments a beautiful dinked pass from Mesut Ozil broke the Northern Ireland defence and put Gomez through one-on-one with McGovern. The Hamilton goalkeeper rushed out and pushed the shot away. However, the relentless Germans eventually found a way through. McGovern blocked Gotze’s effort but couldn’t react quickly enough to stop Gomez smacking the loose ball into the net. McGovern had been beaten, but not disgraced. For the remainder of the game he blocked, saved, rushed, slapped, punched and did everything he possibly could to stop the score-line from being increased. It paid dividends.

Later that evening, Turkey produced their best – and only – performance yet to defeat the Czech Republic 2-0. Moving them up to three points, but having lost to Spain 3-0 and Croatia 1-0, their -2 goal difference put them below Northern Ireland. O’Neill’s team went up to second out of the four third place teams so far.

 

 

TEAM OF THE GROUP STAGES

GK: Sommer (Switzerland)

RB: Srna (Croatia)

CB: Pique (Spain) Schar (Switzerland)

LB: Bonucci (Italy)

CM: Modric (Croatia) Kroos (Germany)

RM: Payet (France)

CAM: Iniesta (Spain)

LM: Perisic (Croatia)

ST: Bale (Wales)

 

 

 

 

 

Euro 2016 Talking Points – Round Two

HAMSIK THE DIFFERENCE FOR SLOVAKIA

Leonid Slutsky looked distressed. His mouth agape, he breathed in and out at rapid pace. He looked on the edge of a heart-attack. Russia, at the time, had control of the game. Aleksandr Kokorin, Oleg Shatov and Fedor Smolov, the attacking trifecta sitting in behind Artem Dzyuba, began opening up the Slovakian back-line on a regular basis; their speed and movement mesmerising Martin Skrtel and Jan Durica. The one thing Russia missed was that clinical edge; that final touch, the one to make the difference.

Marek Hamsik, on the other hand, has that in abundance. He can change a game in a moment; and he did. Slovakia couldn’t keep possession in the Russian half. They lacked the quality; but not Hamsik. The Napoli midfield pivoted in his own-half and cracked an arcing pass that eliminated the entire Russian team and rolled ahead of Vladimir Weiss. One delicate touch killed the pace, and Weiss cut inside, sending a couple of white shirts sliding off the field. He steadied himself and curled a simple shot around the fingertips of Igor Akinfeev.

Slutsky pounded at his legs in rage. Russia had handed Slovakia the lead; in not finishing their chances and in the chaotic defending that let Weiss through.

Hamsik added a second. He received a short corner, cut inside, held off one defender, and then rifled an absolute thunder-bastard into the top corner of the post. The ball smashed off the inside corner and bounced back into the net. Arms outstretched like a Slovakian Jesus, Hamsik walked towards his adoring fans. He made the difference.

His contributions weren’t limited to an assist and a goal. He conducts the orchestra, controlling the ball like a baton, dictating the pace and movements of those around him. It’s his game; the other 21 players are secondary figures. His eye of the needle passes open spaces we can’t see; his shuffles and dribbles create them. If Slovakia are to achieve something in this tournament, it’s going to be all about him.

 

THE COMAN AND MARTIAL EXPERIMENT

It hadn’t been quite the performance that the French public expected. It was predicted that the hosts, buoyed by the atmosphere inside the Stade de France, would slaughter Romania; an expectation that might not have taken into account the Romanian’s exemplary defensive record in qualification. Instead, France laboured and relied on Dimitri Payet’s genius to sneak a 2-1 win. The public wanted a response. Didier Deschamps responded. The France manager opted for a change in formation; the 4-3-3 out for the popular 4-2-3-1. And he didn’t stop there. Antoine Griezmann and Paul Pogba, two of the players expected to take the tournament by storm, found themselves sat in the evening cold, Anthony Martial and Kingsley Coman in their places.

Pogba could feel hard done by. It hadn’t been a classic performance by the Juventus midfielder, but so much expectation had been put on his still inexperienced shoulders. Could he ever match the hype? Griezmann, however, looked out of place in the opening match. Stuck out on the right, rather than in his preferred central position, he failed to take a real grasp of the game. Neither did their replacements.

Martial received scathing reviews for his performance. The Manchester United striker/winger started out on the right but didn’t last until half-time; Pogba replaced the replacer. Martial made just one forward pass which could be described as ‘attacking’ – seven of his ten successful passes went backwards. He couldn’t muster a single shot on goal nor one successful cross. He was sluggish personified.

Coman looked a little better. France again laboured in the first-half, but if Les Bleus were to create anything, it was going to come through the Bayern winger. In the first couple of minutes he danced through Ermir Lenjani and Ansi Agolli, bursting through into the box before the latter tripped him up. He added some much needed spark.

In the 68^th minute Deschamps ended his experiment. Perhaps it had been to test out Coman and Martial; perhaps to warn Pogba and Griezmann that France can’t afford lame performances. The Atletico striker took the lesson to heart. In the 90^th minute, the match level and a resilient Albania keeping the hosts at bay, Griezmann snatched at his chance and nodded France in front. It was another dreary performance from Deschamps’ side, but it was another win, and one which guaranteed them progression to the next round.

 

STURRIDGE CHANGES THE GAME

Jeers and whistles serenaded England as they trudged off the pitch for half-time. Their performance had lethargic, a team lacking ideas and inspiration. Harry Kane, mirroring Romelu Lukaku’s dire showing for Belgium, looked isolated and ineffective; he looks off the pace. Raheem Sterling came in for the most flak, though. It made little sense that the Manchester City winger started his second game running, having struggled against Russia. He came in for a hail-storm of abuse after missing England’s best chance. Adam Lallana darted through the Wales defence and fired a driven cross to the feet of Sterling, who, having the reached the ball at the perfect time and having got their first, managed to scuff the ball over the crossbar. It summed up a dismal 45 minutes for the Three Lions.

That changed at half-time. Roy Hodgson, seeing his England tenure bursting into flames, brought on Daniel Sturridge and Jamie Vardy for Sterling and Kane, and there were immediate improvements. The Liverpool striker, not the out-and-out attacker that the Leicester front-man and Kane are, helped link-up midfield and attack and did an excellent job at finding pockets of space and creating chances. Ten minutes after the restart he flicked a dipping cross into the crowded Wales six-yard-box, where Ashley Williams’ header knocked it towards his own goalkeeper. Vardy pounced. The Red Bull infused striker poked the ball over the line to equalise.

England continued to press but couldn’t find that crucial breakthrough. A resilient Wales refused to crumble. But in the 91^st minute, England broke Welsh hearts. Sturridge, lurking on the edge of the box, slipped a quick pass inside to Delle Alli. The Spurs midfielder pushed the ball back through for a one-two, ahead of the charging Sturridge. The Liverpool striker took one touch before knocking past Wayne Hennessey at his near post. He ran off in exhilaration, before composing himself for his trademark dance. One half-assist and one goal – he’d saved England’s Euros.

From this moment it’s clear that the decision lies with Hodgson. England’s dramatic improvement in the second-half centred around Sturridge’s introduction; he offered the creation that Sterling lacked and the danger that Kane couldn’t offer. Yes, he’s sometimes too single-minded – his two long-range shots endangered the England crowd more than the Wales goal – but he has those moments of genius, such as his solo-goal against Sevilla, which can change an entire match. Hodgson needs to utilise him.

 

IS COUNTER-ATTACK KEY FOR BELGIUM?

Marc Wilmots promised between two and ten changes to the Belgium team that lost 2-0 to Italy. It had been a disjointed and unstructured performance, one which garnered as much flak for the manager as for the players. Belgium’s ‘Golden Generation’ looked anything but. Against a motivated Republic of Ireland, Belgium needed a performance.

Belgium passed and moved with all the flair of Spain. However, there was a glaring difference between the reigning champions and the Red Devils. The Spanish have an almost telepathic understanding, as if all eleven men work as one. It looks seamless. It looks simple. But Belgium prove it’s anything but. They possess the technical skills, but there’s a clear lack of cohesion. Players don’t make the right runs, passes don’t happen at the right time, and, quite often, the moves that do happen prove to be the wrong ones. Too often possession is conceded in a position it shouldn’t be; Spain rarely make that mistake. Belgium look like eleven talented individuals thrown together; a side who could do something, but who lack the understanding, the communication and the rhythm to do so.

Their limp first-half performance against the Irish seemed to confirm that this is an embedded issue; one which might not be solved before the knock-out stages. Yannick Carrasco came in on the right but found himself shackled by the quick-to-close-down Irish – although his placement on that flank meant Kevin de Bruyne could assert more influence in his preferred central role; and Moussa Dembele found himself hooked at the 57 minute mark. Thomas Meunier impressed at right-back, often over-lapping Carrasco and dinking crosses into the box. But, overall, there was little to differentiate this performance from the one that met the Italians. That changed in the second-half.

The Belgians found their key: counter-attack. The problem had been that their tactics revolved around keeping possession and, like the Spanish, passing until a space opened up; counter-attacking let them utilise the pace of Hazard and de Bruyne, and also let them breakthrough a weakened defensive structure. The first goal summed this up. Ireland lost possession from a corner, and, after breaking at pace, Lukaku cut inside before curling the ball around Darren Randolph. The extra space made the difference. A second and third goal followed.

Euroe 2016 Talking Points – Round One

ITALY MIGHT EXCEED LOW EXPECTATIONS

Blue shirts poured forward. Ciro Immobile spread the ball out to Antonio Candreva. An isolated Thibaut Courtois charged out as three Belgians desperately tried to restore some sense of organisation. But the black and red headless chickens had ceded control. Candreva looked up and spotted the lone hand of Graziano Pelle calling out. A simple short cross found the swinging right boot of the Southampton striker. Pelle ran off celebrating, a mix of jubilation and shock etched into his chiselled face. Seconds later, the referee called for full-time. You’d have thought the Italians had won the tournament.

In the build up to the 2016 Euros, the Italian team had been derided as one of the weakest in the Azzurri’s illustrious history. While the Italians could be confident about a back three consisting of the Juventus trio of Andrea Barzagli, Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini, and Gigi Buffon in between the sticks, the rest of the squad left much to be desired. No position quite summed up this decline than the striking department.

The era of Toni, Del Piero and Totti is almost at an end – only the latter is yet to retire. That’s reflected in the options the stern faced Antonio Conte has: Pelle has been inconsistent for Southampton; Eder has scored just one goal for Inter since his move from Sampdoria; Immobile hasn’t been at his best since his 2013-14 campaign at Torino; and Simone Zaza has often been used off the bench for Juventus. Injuries had also devastated their midfield options.

Injuries to Marco Verratti and Claudio Marchisio robbed the Italians of their two best centre-midfielders. It meant that the ever-present Daniele de Rossi started alongside Marco Parolo and Emanuele Giaccherini in midfield, with the defensive-minded Matteo Darmian on the left and Candreva on the right. How would this make-shift team handle Belgium’s ‘Golden Generation’?

The back-three relegated the Belgians to a smattering of half-chances – not bad against a side including Eden Hazard and Romelu Lukaku. Giaccherini dismissed his critics, and surprised those who remembered him for his poor performances in a Sunderland shirt, making a nuisance of himself throughout the match. In the 32^nd minute he latched on to a stunning Bonucci long-ball, escaping the entire Belgian defence, and curled the ball around Courtois. Then, in the 92^nd minute, Pelle confirmed the Italian’s win.

It was a performance that reminded pundits that the Italians are the Italians. The Azzurri possess the meanest defence in international football and can build on that. Antonio Conte has instilled a sense of organisation throughout the rest of the team – one would be too scared not to follow his instructions to the letter – and has created a strong team with the squad at his disposal. Underestimate him at your peril.

 

BELGIUM: A TEAM WORSE THAN THE SUM OF ITS PART

This Belgium squad is lauded as a ‘golden generation’. England supporters are well aware of the dangers of such a tag; it puts an added pressure on the team and the management that seems to create a toxic atmosphere between the team and the expectant nation. That being said, it’s impossible to object to the complaints that Belgium have under-performed.

One was sceptical about their chances before the tournament. The Red Devils stumbled through the World Cup before losing out to Argentina in the 118^th minute – a game that’s better forgot – and didn’t look like a team including the creative talents of Eden Hazard and Kevin De Bruyne. And there was nothing in their plodding performance against the Italians that demonstrated change. That must bring into question the manager, Marc Wilmots.

Hazard has admitted in the past that Wilmots does no tactical work with the team – something that became clear on Monday. The Belgians looked unorganised and disinterested against one of the most organised and passionate teams in the tournament. Romelu Lukaku stood isolated as the lone-striker, Marouane Fellaini offered nothing in midfield, and Jan Vertonghen struggled as the left-sided full-back. If not for the quick reactions of Courtois, the Italians would’ve won by a wider margin.

The ‘Golden Generation’ tag looks to be taking its next victim.

 

SWEDEN AND POLAND NEED TO FIND ALTERNATIVES

Sweden and Poland possess one world class striker each. The enigmatic Zlatan Ibrahimovic dominates his surroundings, both for PSG and for Sweden, and Robert Lewandowski is perhaps the most lethal European striker around. Zlatan scored 38 league goals in his final season at PSG, while the formidable Pole fired 30 times for Bayern. But at the 2016 Euros, both find themselves in international squads much weaker than the teams their used to.

Lewandowski is one cog in the Munich machine, and so he can look to Thomas Muller and co to contribute if he’s not in from. Ibra has a similar situation in Paris. But both are the focal points of their international sides. Their compatriots look to them to be their saviours, to do the magical, and to lead the charge. There’s no Cavani or Robben at their side. It’s a problem for both them and their respective international teams.

The Northern Ireland defence crowded out Lewandowski and offered him not the slightest sniff of free air; he, in turn, had a rather poor game. Ibra fared a little better, providing the assist for Ciaran Clark’s own-goal. But he also found himself man-marked and pushed out of the game. He couldn’t move, shoot, pass – as soon as he touched the ball a sea of green shirts surrounded him.

This is less of a problem for Poland; they have some excellent players, like Milik. But Sweden have little else but Ibra. He’s a star in that team.

 

SPAIN STICKING TO ITS STYLE

You have to respect Spain’s single-minded devotion to tiki-taka. I’ve seen monks less patient. Barcelona adapted once their opponents learned to counter-act it; the same cannot be said for the national side. Vincente del Bosque is determined to retain to the pass-pass-passing that won them back-to-back European Championships – and a World Cup in between. Of course, that’s ignoring the 2014 World Cup.

Who can forget their disastrous turn in Brazil? Robin van Persie’s stunning diving header began the Netherlands’ comeback in a 5-1 thrashing of the world champions, before Chile completed the double-punch and KO’d Spain. The holders had exited the competition before the third round of group games. Spain hadn’t been eliminated from a major competition since 2006; they were the first side knocked out in 2014. A 3-0 thumping of Australia in the final match offered a fond farewell to the likes of David Villa, Xavi and Fernando Torres, stars of previous tournaments, and important components of the title winning side. You’d expect, after such a shocking collapse, that change would occur. Perhaps Del Bosque would be sacked, or he’d change his tactics. Not so.

There’s been little change since 2014: Alvaro Morata has replaced the ineffective Diego Costa and Nolito is preferred to Pedro on the flank. It’s much the same. And against the Czechs familiar problems came to the fore. Spain dominated possession and looked for that clinical pass – the one that splits a defence – but it looked like the 2004 semi-finalists might just hold on. Then in the 87^th minute Gerard Pique offered his large frame as an attacking option. The lanky centre-back leapt to greet Andres Iniesta’s cross and nodded it into the Czech goal.

Spain looked good. Good enough to warrant predictions that La Rojas could complete a Euros treble. But there are still concerns about that dedication to passing and the unwillingness to go direct until the final moments of a game. More composed sides might just hold out against such a style. Barcelona had to change because opponents had worked out how to counter it; Spain might have to follow suit.

 

LACK OF FULL-BACK OPTIONS COULD COST GERMANY

The first 45 minutes of the Germany Ukraine clash exhibited perhaps the most entertaining football of the tournament so far: end-to-end, slick, attacking football. However, something became apparent during this spell: the Germans have one noticeable weakness: there’s a complete lack of full-backs. In 2014, Die Mannschaft collected the World Cup and lost Philip Lahm to international retirement. Although the Germans can still call upon Jerome Boateng and Mats Hummels (he’s still recuperating from an injury, so Shkodran Mustafi started against Ukraine) there are no great full-backs to complement the centre-half duo.

Against Ukraine, Benedikt Howedes, a centre-back who’s often featured as a full-back for the national side, started on the right, and FC Koln’s Jonas Hector started on the left. Weaker opponents might not be able to take advantage of this; Ukraine exposed them on a regular basis. The pace, skill and movement of Evgeni Konoplyanka and Andriy Yarmolenko opened up a chasm behind the German defence. Yarmolenko, in particular, who plies his trade at Dinamo Kiev, kept getting in behind Hector and firing balls into the box. Ukraine couldn’t take advantage in the first-half and couldn’t keep up their momentum in the second, and so the threat petered out. But the gap in the almost impenetrable German armour is there.

 

CROATIA ARE THE DARK HORSES

If seems as though all 24 teams at the Euros have been described as ‘dark horses’. Austria, Switzerland and Poland were all picked as potential outside bets to reach the final, but all three produced disappointing performances in their opening ties. Austria lost out to their rivals, Hungary; Switzerland laboured to a tight 1-0 win over ten-man Albania; and Poland just about managed to squeeze past Northern Ireland. But Croatia, another team thought of as potential outsiders, impressed.

The Croats excelled against a strong Turkey. We shouldn’t be surprised. This is a Croatia team featuring a midfield of Real Madrid’s Luka Modric and Barcelona’s Ivan Rakitic – Mateo Kovacic can’t even get a starting berth such is their strength in that position. The Vatreni also have a no-nonsense defence consisting of Verdan Corluka and Darijo Srna, and Mario Mandzukic leading the line. Could Croatia relive memories of France ’98?

 

ROONEY STANDS OUT FOR ENGLAND

There’s been so much distraction since England’s 1-1 draw with Russia. We’ve discussed hooligans and the shocking sight of a stampede after the game, the pointlessness of England’s striker taking set-pieces, and so much more; all of this rather than a breakdown of the performance. And what a mixed one it was.

Perhaps no talking point filled as many blogs and headlines as Wayne Rooney’s place in the England team. England’s all-time record goal-scorer had an odd season. He laboured at Manchester United under Louis van Gaal and ended up dropping into midfield to accommodate Marcus Rashford. With Kane reaching 20+ goals for the second consecutive season in the Premier League – the same amount the England captain has achieved during his entire career – the question was: would the team be shaped around an underperforming player? No, not quite.

That’s because Rooney exceeded expectations in an attacking midfield role. The England captain started in alongside the driven Delle Alli and looked brilliant. He picked out passes left, right and centre, and controlled England’s possession in the Russian half. He pulled the strings and looked imperious doing so. All those doubts fell silent. He’d been derided for some poor performances; he deserved his plaudits for this one.

 

ICE, ICE, BABY

We all wanted Iceland to do well. It’s heart-warming to see some of the smaller nations – Albania, Iceland etc. – reaching the Euros, but it’s also important that some of them surpass expectations. It’d be demoralising to see them all crash out at the group stage. We’ve seen the VTs about Iceland’s indoor football project, read the blogs about their road to the Euros, and seen the stats about the size of their population – all of which put their achievement into context. It’s amazing that they reached the tournament.

Iceland didn’t come through a lame group; quite the opposite. While Romania provided the strongest opposition to Northern Ireland in their group, Iceland overcame Turkey and the Netherlands to finish second – no mean feat. Against Portugal they proved that that wasn’t a fluke; this is a team that deserves to be there.

Strakarnir Okkar didn’t threaten in a first-half that Portugal dominated. Hannes Halldorsson produced a couple of excellent stops to keep the halt the Iberian advance. If not for the quick feet of the Icelandic goalkeeper, Nani’s nodded effort would’ve put Portugal in front. But he could only do so much. Nani didn’t make the same mistake twice. His second header caught Halldorsson out and rippled the back of the net. At half-time, Portugal had a firm grasp of the game; Rui Patricio could’ve taken a 45 minute nap.   

That changed in the second-half. A pumped up Iceland emerged and immediately put Ronaldo and co on the back-foot. In the 50^th minute Iceland equalised. Johann Gudhmundsson’s simple cross found an unmarked Birkir Bjarnason at the far post. Bjarnason thumped the ball into the ground and into the roof of the Portuguese net. Portugal had switched off.

For the remainder of the game, Iceland looked the more dangerous side. The thousands of blue shirts that filled half of Saint Etienne’s stadium clapped in unison and created a strong atmosphere; Charlemagne might’ve had troubled quietening this hoard of Vikings. Iceland couldn’t find a second, but neither could Portugal. There were a couple of tense moments at the finale. Ronaldo had back-to-back free-kicks – the second coming after a hand blocked the first – but rifled both efforts into the wall.

The Habsburg teams better watch out.

Euro 2016 – Group B: Oh, England

7:59 – one minute before kick-off

Oh, England. I won’t fall for it again. Not this summer. I refuse to be optimistic; I refuse to believe. Yet again, we did beat Germany, the world champions. And some of the other countries do rate us as potential winners. It might be different this time. You can change. It’s not the evil axis of Gerrard and Lampard; it’s Kane and Alli. It’s quite an exciting squad. Maybe we have a chance.

 

90+2 minutes

Oh, fuck off.

Euro 2016- Group A: Deschamps has work to do

An anxious Stade de France counted down from ten. As it reached zero, a lone whistle screeched through the deafening roar and kick-started the opening match of the 2016 European Championships. The French team had the weight of expectation on their collective shoulders. Nationalism – the nicer side – is often exemplified in the spirit of these international football tournaments; coming together in unison to support something larger than oneself for a light-hearted cause. France were also the pre-tournament favourites, boasting a stacked squad and a home advantage. That momentum was almost silenced.

Romania, unaffected by the atmosphere, pushed on in the opening minutes and almost snatched a quick lead. From a corner, Florin Andone’s flicked header found Bogdan Stancu sneaking in at the far post. Untracked, he blasted the ball straight at the France goal, and if not for the superb reactions of Hugo Lloris, palming the ball on the line, Romania would have stunned the hosts.

France dominated most of the game, keeping possession and testing the stingy Romania backline – one which conceded just two goals during qualification – but failed to capitalise on their control. Olivier Giroud made sure to capitalise on his chance, though. Anton Tatarusanu missed a simple cross into the box, and the Arsenal striker redirected the ball towards the empty net. Romania had the odd spell of control, and it was during one of these moments that Patrice Evra kicked Nicolae Stanciu as he charged through the box. Eight minutes after Giroud’s header, Bogdan Stancu converted from the spot. And it appeared that that might be enough for Romania to scuttle the hosts’ hopes of producing a special moment for France. But, in the 89^th minute, Dimitri Payet provided another moment of brilliance. The majestic attacking-midfielder, trapped in a box of four yellow shirts, pirouetted on the ball and rifled it into the top corner, as a sea of 60,000 blue shirts bounced in the stands. When he came off minutes later, tears rolled down his cheeks; the supporters inside the stadium, and the millions of proud and jubilant Frenchmen outside it, stood up and clapped as he walked off.

But the moment couldn’t mask the doubts about Didier Deschamp’s team. There had been questions about the ageing full-backs, and Evra’s clumsy challenge gave evidence to those who think he’s past his best. Antoine Griezmann looked distracted, not quite on the same wave-length as his attacking partners. Giroud, although he grabbed a goal, still has question marks about making an impact when it matters; he missed some glaring opportunities, and he’ll need to be much more clinical in the latter stages.

Deschamps needs to address these during the remaining group games. With three points all but guaranteeing progression at this tournament, he can afford to be a little more liberal with his choices against Switzerland and Albania. But he needs to act. In the latter stages, when one moment can decide a game, these problems could be punished.

Tommy Wright’s biggest challenge yet?

It is only a matter of time until Tommy Wright departs McDiarmid Park. Even the most optimistic St Johnstone supporter understands that the consistent over-performance of perhaps the club’s greatest ever manager has attracted the deserved attention of sides throughout Scotland and England. If anything, it’s a surprise he’s not been lured from Perth sooner.

Wright has led the Saints to consecutive fourth place finishes, brought them European football, and guided them to their first Scottish Cup win – all of this done within the constraints of a restrictive budget. Stability might be an unfashionable term in the football world, seen as an excuse for a lack of progress, but it’s something that Wright has instilled in the club. While the likes of Motherwell, Dundee United and Hibernian have seen their fortunes fluctuate to varying degrees, St Johnstone have maintained a reliable presence as the fourth strongest team in Scottish football, and have done so with a much smaller budget compared to the latter examples. He’s also created a team that’s stronger than the sum of its parts. Extract one or two players from that team and it will not crumble into pieces; could the same be said for a Griffiths-less Celtic or a Rooney-less Aberdeen? Over-achieving in one season is one thing – just look at Inverness and John Hughes – but to do it over a sustained period is the sign of a special manager. But next season could be his toughest task yet.

I’m among the ranks of people who expect a returning Rangers to challenge Celtic, but to ultimately fall short and fight Aberdeen and Heart of Midlothian for second. Derek McInnes will be frustrated that the Don’s title push collapsed at the final hurdle, which seemed to highlight a lack of mental fortitude in high pressure situations – how many times did Aberdeen capitulate after being in a position to leap-frog the eventual champions? He’s asked for investment to build, and he appears to have strengthened up-front. Hearts, on the other hand, exceeded expectations with a comfortable third-place finish and are going to push on and challenge Aberdeen. With all three utilising their resources in a bid to challenge Celtic, the Saints could be forced from their top-four perch. There are also going to be stronger challenges from teams around them.

Ross County, pushing on after a brilliant 2015/16, have kept their squad together – not the usual flood of releases we’ve become accustomed to – and are adding to it. They’ve brought in Chris Routis from Bradford City and Kenny van der Weg from NAC Breda, centre-backs who should have more pace than either Paul Quinn or Andrew Davies; and right-back Erik Cikos. It shows that Jim McIntyre’s focus in on solidifying a defence which conceded 63 goals last season – the highest number outside the bottom three.

Motherwell, who finished six points behind Saints, should also put up more of a challenge. Mark McGhee had to reshape the team which Ian Barraclough had assembled; one which won just two out of eight games before his sacking in late September. McGhee led the Steelmen to 12 victories in his 28 matches in charge, including a five-match winning streak during which they scalped Aberdeen. So far it’s been a quiet transfer window for Motherwell, but a sense of stability could reap rewards next season.

And then there’s Dundee. Paul Hartley’s team vastly underachieved last season, finishing a disappointing 8^th in the Premiership, being eliminated from the League Cup by Dunfermline, and being thrashed in the Scottish Cup at Ibrox – that result coming after Gary Harkins thought it wise to wind up the Rangers support. The big challenge for them is keeping hold of Kane Hemmings and Greg Stewart. The former contributed almost 40% of Dundee’s league goals last season, and Stewart’s dynamic performances have earned him back-to-back Player of the Season nominations. Their main additions are those of James Vincent and Danny Williams from Inverness. The former can add some cover in midfield if fit and the latter offers some much needed width down the left-flank. Another under-performing season could see Hartley departing Dens Park.

With Celtic, Rangers, Hearts and Aberdeen likely making up the top four, Dundee, Motherwell and Ross County will be challenging Saints for a top-six finish. All three look to be in stronger positions than 12 months ago, although the same can also be said for Wright’s side.

If you were to make up a list of areas St Johnstone need to improve upon last season, it looks like Tommy Wright’s ticking them off one-by-one. A younger, less injured replacement for Dave MacKay? Check. Some spark added to a sometimes laboured midfield? Check. More options in wide areas? Check. The signings of Keith Watson, Michael Coulson and Blair Alston could fix all these issues, making Saints perhaps the strongest and most experienced team outside the big four. The arrival of Alston, in particular, is exciting. In fact, there’s only one glaring issue that still needs addressing.

The Saints need a striker. Their top-scorer, Steven MacLean, is 33, and the 14 goals that he finished the campaign with perhaps paint an untrue picture. MacLean scored half of that figure in three games – a hat-trick against Hamilton Academicals, and doubles against Aberdeen and Motherwell. There’s also the fact that he scored just once between October 18 and April 21. Graham Cummings contributed eight goals and looked more effective as a secondary-striker, creating chances for MacLean rather than finishing them himself. John Sutton might not be good enough at Premiership level anymore and appears to be joining St Mirren. Chris Kane, as energetic as he is, doesn’t look good enough to warrant a starting berth.

If Wright can fix this, though, St Johnstone will boast a strong squad going into next season. With Rangers returning, the chances of them finishing fourth for a third-straight-season look slim, and with Dundee, Motherwell and Ross County strengthening in the summer, all three will be desperate for top-six finishes. It’s looking like this could be the most exciting Premiership season for some time, and St Johnstone will, once again, have to overachieve if they are to finish fourth. But if any manager can accomplish such a feat, it’s Tommy Wright.